Seven Reasons of Why You May Be Tired

Feel tired all the time? Having a hard time waking up in the mornings? Do you need a jolt of caffeine to get going? You may be experiencing “adrenal fatigue”, an issue where your body has difficulty meeting the demands of everyday stress, or life.

Let’s look at a few possible reasons for your adrenal gland involvement.

1. Eating too much sugar and processed carbohydrates.

When you eat sweets or starchy foods it causes your blood sugar and insulin levels to rise and then drop quickly. In response, your adrenal glands release the stress hormone (cortisol) to help those levels stay balanced. Repeated rises and falls of your blood sugar levels directly impact your adrenals. As a result of this exhaustive cycle, you may reach the state of“adrenal fatigue”, where you now suffer from perpetual low blood sugars, or reactive hypoglycemia. Aim for a lower glycemic, whole foods diet that does not spike your blood sugar, as well as healthy fats, protein, and plenty of fiber.

2. Using caffeine and other stimulants.

Caffeine, energy drinks, cigarettes, diet pills, and other stimulants cause extra release of stress hormones and can further exacerbate the adrenal glands.

3. Overtraining.

Exercise is vital to good health, yet over-exercising can aggravate the body, and taxing the adrenal glands. If your performance during workouts is suffering and you feel tired afterwards, you may actually be overdoing it, or exercising at the wrong time of the day for your body, this can further aggravate the health of your adrenal glands.

4. Food intolerances.

Eating foods that trigger an immune reaction also has the capacity to tax adrenal function. One of the more common food intolerances is gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and a few other type of grains. Dairy, eggs, soy, corn, and yeast are a few other common foods that can lead to inflammatory processes and impact your adrenal glands. Doing an elimination/provocation diet can be very helpful. In some instances, certain lab tests can also be useful in helping you decipher which foods you are sensitive to and should avoid.

5. Gut infections.

It is not uncommon for many people to have gastrointestinal infections that include overgrowth of yeast, fungus, and/or bacteria. Many people may have these infections for years and not know about them. These chronic infections, however, can lead to chronic inflammation in the gut and the body, which leads to increased stress on the body and can further impact your adrenals.

6. Unmanaged autoimmune disease.

Autoimmunity is when your immune system attacks your own body. For example, when the immune system attacks your thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism), the pancreas (Type I diabetes), or the nervous system (multiple sclerosis). Unmanaged autoimmune disease keeps the immune system on at all times, and this overactive state causes chronic inflammation. This perpetual inflammatory process leads to an increased stress on the body and its tissues, which can further aggravate the adrenal gland involvement .

7. Brain inflammation.

Chronic inflammation in the body from poor diet, chronic stress, or autoimmune disease can also inflame the brain. Common symptoms of brain inflammation include brain fog, low brain endurance, poor memory, or slowed mental acuity.

Contact us to learn how we can help identify if you have adrenal gland involvement that may be causing your chronic fatigue.